Germs, bacteria, Viruses such as Swine Flu and the like, are often transferred by hand to hand or hand to object contact. Often door knobs contaminated by germs from one person's hands can be transferred to another person by contact with their hands. Public bathrooms are a haven for germs being left on door knobs, sink handles, toilets, and the like. Other types of areas can include public telephones, grocery carts, public transportation conveyances such as airline and bus seats, and the like, are also harbingers of areas that can be become contaminated with germs.
In recent years it has become quite popular to use disposable sanitizer type wet tissues to wipe one's hands. However, the tissues leave the person with wet hands that must be separately dried. Also, the user often must wipe down the actual objects which only increases their contact with germ infested surfaces. Additionally, these wet tissues are not practical to be used for continuously gripping objects such as door knobs, toilet handles, grocery carts, telephones, and the like.
Various devices have been proposed over the years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,244 to Beck and U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,125 to Derda et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0172767 to Friedstrom each describe devices that are disposable and are not reusable. Also these devices would be loose and not adequately stay on the user's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,469 to Schaetzel describes a “diarrhea mitten”, title with elastic band on the wrist. However, this device still loosely fits about the palm portion and sides of the hand, and this device is also disposable and would not be reusable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,346 to Robinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,883 to Reo; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,735 to Wilkes describe attachable type sanitary barriers. However, these devices must be fastened together to fasteners or adhesive and are also generally disposable and are not reusable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,253 to Chen and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0264894 to Lerner each describe gloves, that would be expensive to mass market and not easy to use when needed, and would not solve all the above problems.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.